Carbon pack



June 9, 1931. I R DENCKLAQ 1,808,840

CARBON PACK Filed May 28, 1930 A llomey Patented June 9, 1231 UNITED STATES KARL R. DENCKLAU, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY CARBON BACK Application filed. May 28, 1930. Serial No. 456,557.

This invention relates to improvements connecting means at opposite ends to enable a plurality of units to be joined together to provide a foldable unit strip for continuous 19 passage through a typewriter or other analogous printing machine, so that the strips will fold in stacked formation upon leaving the machine, and which permits of the separation of any particular pack unit or units from the strip when desired.

Another object of the invention resides in a means for joining the meeting ends of carbon pack units in a manner so as to detachably connect the same and yet permit hinge movement at the joints therebetween to facilitate the easy passage of the strip past the platen of a typewriter when inserted into amachine for use.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a means for hingedly and detachably connecting two or more carbon pack units together which embodies a sl1dable rod carried by the meeting edge of one unit for reception in eyes provided in the adjacent meeting edge of the next carbon pack unit and which is accomplished by first threading one of the eyes upon one end of the rod and shifting the rod to cause the opposite end to engage a second registering With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the certain novel construction, combination and arrangement of arts, the essential features of which are iiereinafter fully described, are particularly inted out in the appended claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a plurality of carbon pack units joined together in accordance with my invention. Figure 2 is a plan view of seve'ralcarbon pack units joined together with parts broken away in section.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the connecting end -of two carbon pack units showing the first step necessary for the j oining of the units.

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 3, but showing the two units in position to be connected.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a similar view on the line 6-6 of Figure 2. v

Figure 7 is a similar view on the line 77 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, the numeral 10 designates what 1 term a carbon pack unit which comprises a flexible back strip 11 of any suitable tough material which will withstand flexing and folding without breaking and tearing, one of the side edges of which is folded inwardly upon the body of the strip to provide an inwardly extending flange 12. Inserted between the flange 12 and the adjacent body portion of the stri 11 are one of the side, edges. of a plurallty of carbon sheets 13, which areof uniform size and arranged one over the other. These carbon pack units may be detachably connected to the back strip in any suitable manner, but in the present instance I have shown headed staples 14 which pass upward through the back strip so and the several thicknesses of carbon paper and out through the upper side of the inturned flange 12, after which the flexible legs of the staples are bent outward in opposite directions, as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. By this arrangement, it will be seen that the carbon sheet 13 may be easily removed fromthe unit when worn or torn by merely removing the staples 14 whereupon new carbon sheets may be inserted to replace the old ones. It will therefore be seen that the back strip 11 may be used over and over again in connection with new thicknesses of carbon paper. j

One of the end edges of the back strip 11 is folded upon itself and adhesively secured as at 15, the folded edge being cut away inter mediate its ends to provide spaced alined eyes-16-16, but before the folding opera-- tion, layers of celluloid 17 are adhesirsiy secured to the portions of the back strip 11 which form the eyes to provide bearings for a purpose to be presently explained.

The opposite end of each back strip 11 is also folded inwardly as at 18, the ends of the folded portion 18 being notched or cut away as at 1919 for a distance approximating the length of the eyes 1616. These cut away portions -1919 provide an elongated eye 20 which is of a length approximating the distance between the alined eyes 1616 so that the eye 20 of one carbon pack unit will fit in the space between the eyes 16-16 of the next adjacent carbon pack unit when the said units are in connected condition. The inwardly folded portion 18 is provided with an elongated slot 21 centrally thereof for the passage of a flexible tab or manipulating element 22, the said tab being fixedly connected to slidable lock bar 23 which is mounted in the single elongated eye 20. The ends of the slot 21 act as abutments for limiting the sliding movement of the lock rod 23 in opposite directions, and when the tab 22 is moved to the left end of the slot shown in Figure 3, one end of the lock rod 23 extends beyond one side of the back strip 11 for a distance approximating the length of the eyes 16'. The manipulating tab 22 is moved to the opposite. or right end of the slot 21, the ends of the locking rods 23 will terminate even with opposite sides of the back strip 11. The purpose of this construction will now be explained.

Assuming that it is desired to connect or join a plurality of carbon pack units 10 into strip formation as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the lock rod 23 is shifted laterally toward the left by grasping the manipulating tab 22 which disposes one end of the rod beyond the adjacent side of the particular carbon pack unit. One of the eyes 16 of the next adjacent carbonpack unit to be joined is threaded upon the extended end of the locking rod 23 as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, and after threading one of the eyes 16 upon the extending end of the rod, the carbon pack units are moved laterally so as to cause the elongated eye 20 to interfit between the spaced eyes 16 of the next adj acent unit whereupon the eyes 16 and 20 are in registration. With the parts in this position and as shown in Figure 4, the operator again grasps the manipulating tab 22 and moves the same toward the opposite end of the slot 21 whereupon the other end of the locking rod 23 slides into the other alined eye 16 and at which time the parts are in connected position. The inner walls of the eyes 16 are provided with the celluloid bearings 17 to facilitate of the easy sliding of the locking rod thereinto and to facilitate the threading of the ends of the locking rod through the respective eyes.

When a plurality of carbon sheet units are connected in the manner just described, the said units provide an elongated strip wherein the units are free to turn or fold so that the strips may be folded in a zig-zag manner into stacked formation as best seen in Figure 1. The units will be found useful in many lines of business wherein bills and invoices are made out which requires the simultaneous making of a plurality of carbon copies. Assuming that the carbon pack units are used .in connection with invoices, the various sheets or forms are inserted intermediate the carbon sheets 13 with the original or true copy disposed upon the top of the pack or unit. The unit may now be fed into a typewriting or calculating machine for typing thereon, and by reason of the flexible na ture of the units, and the joints between the several units, no difficulty will be experienced in passing the units through the platen of the machine.

The advantage in detachably connecting the carbon pack units together permits the same to be fed through a machine in elongated strip formation and allow any one of the carbon pack units to be disconnected from the strips for any purpose desired. In some instances, it may be necessary to return a complete unit to the files to await further information to be recorded on the invoices or forms used in connection with the units and after disconnecting and removing one unit, the chain of units will not be broken as the adj acent end of the units may be joined together in the manner clearly set forth herebefore.

' While I have shown and described what I deem to be the most desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many of the details may be varied if desired without in any way departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction herein set forth, nor to anything less than the whole of my invention, limited only by the appended claims;

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination of a plurality of carbon pack units, and releasable means for connecting said carbon pack units in continuous strip formation.

2. The combination of a plurality of carbon pack units, interfitting means between said carbon pack units, and locking means associated with said interfitting means for detachably securing said carbon pack units in strip formation.

3. The combination of a plurality of carbon pack units, and releasable hinge joints connecting adjacent ends of said cPrbon pack units.

4. The combination of a plurality of carbon pack units, interfitting eyes along meeting edges of said carbon pack units, and a locking rod slidable within the registering eyes of the respective carbon pack units.

5. The combination of a plurality of carbon pack units, registering interfitting eyes along meeting edges of said carbon pack units, a rod slidably supported by the eyes of one carbon pack unit with its ends slidable into the registering eyes of the next adjacent carbon pack unit.

6. The combination of a plurality of carbon pack units, registering interfitting eyes along meeting edges of said carbon pack units, a nod slidably supported by the eyes of one carbon pack unit with its ends slidable into the registering'eyes of the next adjacent carbon pack unit, and means for limiting sliding movement of said rod beyond one side of the carbon pack unit on which it is mounted for a distance approximating the Width of one of the eyes of the next adjacent carbon pack unit.

7. Thecombination of a plurality of carbon pack units, registering interfitt-ing eyes along the meeting edges of said carbon pack units, a rod slidably supported by the eyes of one carbon pack unit with its ends slidable into the registering eyes of the next adjacent carbon pack unit, and means for limiting the sliding movement of said rod in opposite directions.

8. The combination of a pair of identical carbon pack units, each unit including a flexible back strip, spaced alined eyes along one of the edges of said back strip, a single elongated eye provided on the opposite edge of said back strip and being of a length approximating the distance between the said spaced alined eyes, the single elongated eye of one carbon pack unit fitting between and registering with the pair of eyes of the other pack unit, and a rod passing through the regis tering eyes and for securing the two carbon pack units together.

9. The combination of a pair of identical carbon pack units, each unit including a flexible back strip, spaced alined eyes along one of the edges of said back strip, a single elongated eye provided on the opposite edge of said back strip and being of a length approxlmating the distance between said spaced alined eyes, the single elongated eye of one carbon pack unit fitting between and registering with the pair of eyes of the other carbon pack unit, a slide rod passing through the registering eyes for securing the two carbon pack units together, and a manipulating element on said rod extending through an elongated slot provided in said single eye.

10. The combination of a plurality of units adapted to support carbon sheets, and releasable fastening means for joining the same in strip formation.

11. A carbon pack unit comprising a flexible back strip, a pair of spaced alined eyes at one end of said back strip, a single eye prothe carbon pack units are to be connected together.

12. A carbon pack unit comprising a flexible back strip, a pair of spaced alined eyes at one end of said back strip, a single eye pro vided at the opposite end of said back strip of a length approximating the width of the space between said pair of eyes, and a rod slidably mounted in said single eye for passage through the pair of eyes of a next adjacent carbon pack unit when two or more of the carbon pack units are to be connected together, and stop means for limiting the sliding of said rods beyond one side of back strip when moved in one direction and for preventing movement of the same beyond the opposite sides of said back strip when moved in a reverse direction.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plurality of flexible carbon and sheet form holders, and releasable means for connecting said form holders in strip formation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

KARL R. DEN CKLAU. 

